Detergent

ABSTRACT

A DETERGENT CONTAINING ALKALINE SALTS OF ORGANIC, ALIPHATIC AND/OR AROMATIC CARBOXYLIC ACIDS AND/OR ANHYDRIDES OF THE SAME WITH ONE OR SEVERAL CARBOXYLIC GROUPS. THESE SALTS REPLACE IN THE DETERGENT PREVIOUSLY USED PHOSPHATES WHICH CAUSED A EUTROPHICATION AND ENDANGERED THE ECOLOGY.

United States Patent 3,692,684 DETERGENT Gerhard Oskar Hentschel,Goteborg, Sweden, assignor to Valter Sven Erwin Hentschel, Goteborg,Sweden No Drawing. Filed Mar. 17, 1970, Ser. No. 20,425 Claims priority,application Switzerland, Oct. 1, 1969, 13,492/ 69 Int. Cl. Clld 3/20 US.Cl. 252-89 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A detergent containingalkaline salts of organic, aliphatic and/or aromatic carboxylic acidsand/or anhy, drides of the same with one or several carboxylic groups.These salts replace in the detergent previously used phosphates whichcaused a eutrophication and endangered the ecology.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a washingdish-washing and cleaning detergent in the shape of powders, granules orpastes or liquids, the phosphates previously used in such a detergentbeing completely or partly replaced by chemicals which are more suitablefrom the eutrophic point of view.

The purpose of the phosphates in detergent compositions is to soften thewater and to keep thehardening agents in the water in solution. Further,the phosphates have a certain dispersion effect on the dirt particlesand improves the effects of the tensides in certain respects.

The phosphates form nutrient salts for the watercourses and when wastewater is discharged into such watercourses, this results inovernutrition with an increased propagation of algae and a filling as aresult (eutrophica- 3,692,684 Patented Sept. 19, 1972 DETAILEDDESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The carboxylic acids which shouldpreferably be used according to the invention are the followingaliphatic acidsz. lactic acid, acetic acid, tartaric acid and citricacid, and the following aromatic acids: benzoic acid, phthalic acid andtri-, tetra-, pentaand hexa-carboxylic acids and their alkaline salts.However, the invention is not restricted to the acids enumerated in theaforegoing but also other.

carboxylic acids which are not dangerous from toxicologic point of viewmay be used. One condition is of course that they could be accepted fromwater care'point of view. They must also give a satisfactory washingresult.

COOH-groups give the best results in surface Washing and at the sametime many of these acids are toxicologically and allergologicallyundangerous and do not endanger water care. Several of these carboxylicacids occur in nature and form so to say a natural component of theplants and animals.

The anionic, double-ionic or nonionic tensides which may be present inthe detergents according to the inventhem water soluble, this groupbeing of anionic or nonionie character. As anionic active detergentsoaps, sulphonates and glp hates are of importance. Also phosphatetion). For this reason it is important to keep the phosphate contents aslow as possible or to replace the phosphates completely in detergentcompositions. In the detergent industry one has tried to accomplish thisby introducing nitrilotriacetates (NTA) and replacing large parts of thephosphates therewith. As the decomposition of NTA in recipients andpurifying plants is not completely known and the watercourses therebyare fed with nitrogen and nitrogen compounds, also NTA increases thealgae growth why this solution of the eutrophication problem still isunsolved. Further, one does not know anything about the reactionsbetween trace elements in natural watercourses and NTA.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to detergentcompositions which contain alkaline salts of aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids and/or their anhydrides having as a maximum eight carbonatoms in the hydrophobic part or having one or several carboxylic groupsor the free acids in a mixture with the alkaline salts of inorganicacids, e.g. carbonates and silicates. In order to improve the effect ofsaid carboxylic acid salts it has turned out to be suitable to addmultivalent higher alcohols up to an amount of 25%, preferably 0.58% ascalculated on the quantity of said salts. Said acids are used becausethey contain only tensides cou be used. The sulphonates may comprisealkylaryl sulphonates, alkyl sulphonates, alkene sulphonates andoxyalkane sulphonates. Also sulphonated esters may be used. Thesulphates may comprise e.g. alkylene sulphate, fatty alcohol ethersulphate, sulphated amides of fatty acids, sulphated monoglycerides,sulphating products of ethoxylated and/or propoxylated fatty alcohols,alkyl phenols, fatty acid amines, etc. Sulphonates of fatty acid estersof oxethane sulphonic acid and dioxypropane sulphonic acid, fattyalcoholic esters of lower aliphatic and aromatic thiomonoanddicarboxylic acids as well as condensation products of fatty acids withaminoethane sulphonic acids may be used. Synthetic capillary activecarboxylates and condensation products of fatty acids withaminocarboxylic acids or with protein hydrolysates as well as phosphateesters of fatty alcohols and fatty acids may be used.

As nonionic tensides one may use e.g. alkylic phenol, fatty alcohol,alkyl amino, fatty acid, fatty acid alkylol amide fatty amidepolyglycolethers, phosphate esters of ethoxylated fatty alcohols, blockpolymerisates of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide etc.

Also amphoteric tensides may be used such as imidazoline derivatives offatty acids, carboxybetaines, compounds with the phosphoric acid groupsin the acid test or with sulphonic or sulphuric acid groups.

Foam stabilizers or foam inhibitors as well as corrosion inhibitors maybe included and so may dirt carrying sub- It has turned out in practicethat acids with several enzymes, dyes and water. Also different types ofbleaching agents containing oxygen or chlorine and activators andstabilizers belonging thereto.

In order to improve the effect of the carboxylic acid salts there isadded a multivalent higher alcohol in an amount up to 25%, preferably0.58% as calculated on the quantity of said salts. The multivalentalcohols are selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, mannitol,pentaerythritol, trimethylol propane, trirnethanol ethane, hexanetrioland butane triol.

As a conclusion it could be said that all tensides and aids used inconnection with detergents and cleaning agents may be combined with theprinciple of the present invention and that the above enumeration .is.not to be considered as any restriction whatsoever.

The following examples are intended to illustrate the invention:

Sodium silicate, cryst. CMC, perfume, opt. brightening agent, enzymes,

and water l1 EXAMPLE 2 Large-scale detergent, granules Parts Fattyalcohol polyglycol ether having 30 mols EO (ethylene oxide) 12 Tallowfatty alcohol i 2 Cumol sulphonate ,3 Na-adipate 3 Na-K-tartrate 7Na-acetate 10 Calcined soda 2O Na-bicarbonate .4 10 Na-percarbonate l5Na-silicate '10 CMC, perfume, opt. brightening agent, Mg-silicate,

enzymes, and water Q. 8

EXAMPLE 3 Detergent for ordinary washing, sprayed I Parts Na-dodecylbenzene sulphonate .Q 10 Fatty alcohol polyglycol ether 5 Xylenesulphonate 7 SEHITJ'I'WBW 2 Phosphate ester of ethoxylated fatty alcohol2 Na-perborate 15 Na-citrate 30 Mannitol 5 Na-silicate 10 EDTA or NTA 3Na-salt of benzene tetracarboxylic acid 2 CMC, opt. brightening agent,Mg-silicate 9 EXAMPLE 4 Small-washing detergent, gran.

Parts Alkylbenzene sulphonate, 50% 12 Fatty alcohol polyglycol ether 6Thiosuccinic acid semiester of fatty acid polyglycol ether, Na-saltCoconut fatty acid monoethanol amide or fatty acid amide polyglycolether 2 Na-silicate 6 Mannitol 2.5 Na-citrate 21 Benzene hexacarboxylicacid 3.5 Gran. soda l0 Sesquicarbonate 14 Sodium sulphate calc. 13 CMC,opt. brightening agent, perfume, water 7 EXAMPLE 5 Pre-washingdetergent, powder, gran.

Parts Alkylsulphate, Na-salt 4 Laurie acid monoethanol amidethiosuccinic semiester, Na-salt 2 Fatty acid polyglycol ester 4 Sodagran. 20 Sodium bicarbonate 2O Na-disilicate 15 Na-acetate 20 Potassiumbiphthalate 5 Pentaerythrite 4 CMS, opt. brightening agent, enzymes,water 6 EXAMPLE 6 Liquid washing and cleansing agent Parts Mixture ofalkane and alkene sulphonates 7 Dialkyl phenolpolyglycol ether 3Undecylene acid monoethanol amide thiosuccinic acid semiester, Na-salt 3Fatty acid aminoxide 2 Pine-oil 3 Ethyldiglycol 3 Sodium lactate 10Sorbitol 2 Water, perfume, dyes, ammonia etc. 67

EXAMPLE 7 Dish-washing machine detergent Parts Polypropylene-ethyleneoxide-addition product 3 Sodium alkylic polyglycol etherphosphate 3Na-acetate 25 Na-sulphate 25 Na-citrate 30 Perfumes, dyes, bactericides,water l4 EXAMPLE 8 Washing and cleansing paste Parts Fatty acidimidazoline derivate, 50% 10 Succinic acid-Z-ethyl hexylic monoester 3Undecylene acid monoethanol amide 3 Fatty acid condensation product withmethyl taurine l6 Glycol derivate 7 Na-citrate 11 1,4-butanedicarboxylic acid 2 CMC 3 Water 45 What I claim is: 1. A detergentcomposition consisting essentially of: a water-soluble surface activeagent have 8 to 30 6 carbon atoms in the hydrophobic group thereof, 3.The detergent composition of claim 2 wherein said selected from thegroup consisting of an anionic wetsurface active agent is a sodium soap.ting agent, a nonionic wetting agent, an amphoteric wetting agent andmixtures thereof in an amount of References Cited from about 10 to about32 parts per 100 parts of 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS composition; analkaline salt of a carboxylic acid selected from the 2264103 11/1941TPcker I 252' 89 2,740,727 4/1956 Littleton et al 252-8.6 groupconsisting of lactic acid, acetic acid, tartaric 2,838,455 6/1958Tompkins 2528.6 acld, citric and, butane dicarboxylrc acid, adipic 2,311008 2/1943 T k H 252 89 acid, benzoic acid, phthalic acid, benzenetricar- 10 3'308O67 3/1967 25289 boxylic acid, benzene tetracarboxylic,benzene pen- 3459670 8/1969 C 252-89 tacarboxylic, benzenehexacarboxylic acid and mix at er tures thereof, said alkaline saltbeing present in an amount of from about 10 to about 30 parts per 100OTHER REFERENCES parts of i i 15 Chemmumque, vol. 10, No. 1, February1962, Atlas a polyhydric alcohol selected from the group consistingPubl- PP- of sorbitol, mannitol, pentaerythritol, trimethylol propane,trimethylol ethane, hexanetriol and butane MAYER WEINBLATF PnmaryExammer triol, said polyhydric alcohol being present in said W, E,SCHULZ, A i t t E i composition in an amount of 0.5% to 25% by 20 weightof the salt of said carboxylic acid thereof. US. Cl. X.R.

2. The detergent composition of claim 1 wherein said 21058; 252-8.6

surface active agent is an anionic wetting agent.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,692,684 Dated September 19, 1972 Inventor(s) Gerhard Oskar Hentschel It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In Column 1, line 6, after the word "application" delete "Switzerland"and insert "Sweden" In Column 4, line 32 "CMS" should be CMC In Column4, line 75, "have" should be having Signed and sealed this 6th day ofFebruary 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK EDWARD M.PLETCHER,JR.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer FORM po'wso H0459) USCOMM-DC60376-P69 [1.5, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 959 0-365-334

